3 under-the-radar Broncos ready for a breakout season

The Broncos have a big-name coach and a rookie quarterback who are occupying most of the headlines in Denver this offseason, especially after a rough start in Week 1. Sean Payton and Bo Nix need a lot of help if Denver is going to get back to the postseason. They desperately need some unheralded members of the roster to step up and become above-average starters if they're going to exceed expectations as a team.

The good news is the Broncos have plenty of playing time available for under-the-radar players who step up during the preseason. The offense needs playmakers to take the heat off of Nix to do too much, too soon. The defense is also in need of difference-makers who can produce negative plays and turnovers.

The question fans in Denver want answered is which players on the roster might be best positioned to take big steps forward this year. Broncos fans should keep a close eye on these three guys as players who might step up and seize more playing time.

3. Nik Bonitto

The young linebacker garnered a lot of attention by notching eight sacks in his second professional season. He still has a lot of room to go before he becomes a defender who can be counted on to stay on the field for all three downs.

He's currently sitting behind Baron Browning on the depth chart at the left outside linebacker position but the Broncos' coaching staff needs to find a way to get both players on the field at once. Bonitto is a little undersized to set the edge against the run but his ability to knife into the opposing backfield to wreak havoc is too good to leave on the sidelines.

It will be easier for the Broncos to get Bonitto more snaps if they can grab some early leads. He will never excel against the run but he does possess the obvious ability to become a consistent double-digit sack artist if his volume of pass rushing opportunities increases. He is a nightmare for opposing tackles to handle when he's permitted the freedom to pin his ears back and pursue the quarterback with reckless abandon.

This is the year when Bonitto has a real chance to take his output as an edge rusher from good to great. Doing so would also give him a chance to grab a lucrative deal in free agency in the not-too-distant future. Everything lines up for Bonitto to enjoy a breakout season to help his team and his bank account.

2. Troy Franklin

Expectations aren't typically high for rookie wide receivers who were only selected in Round 4. There are plenty of reasons why Troy Franklin might be in a position to exceed those expectations. He currently sits behind Josh Reynolds as Denver's No. 2 slot receiver but he's got every chance to move up the depth chart as the season rolls along even though he was inactive in Week 1.

One obvious reason why Franklin can succeed early in Denver is that he's very familiar with Nix. The two had great chemistry as collegiate teammates at Oregon. There's no reason why that chemistry can't translate to success at the pro level.

Franklin can also give the Broncos offense something very different than Reynolds can offer from the slot. Much of his success with Nix in college came on deep targets. Reynolds is a solid possession target but he can't take the top off of opposing defenses. Franklin possesses the right combination of size and speed to victimize safeties who try to thwart him in single coverage.

It might take Franklin some time to eat into Reynolds' playing time but his upside as a receiver is going to really appeal to Payton as the season progresses. Conventional wisdom assumes that young quarterbacks need safe, short safety valves to alleviate pressure. The Broncos could easily find that offering Nix a receiver capable of winning contested catches deep down the field can achieve the same goal in an unconventional manner. Franklin could turn into a sneaky productive player for Denver during the second half of his rookie season.

1. Greg Dulcich

If healthy, Greg Dulcich is the sort of pass-catcher at the tight end position that can keep opposing defensive coordinators up at night. The challenge for him during his NFL career has been availability. A hamstring injury limited him to just two games last year and a foot issue is currently limiting his preseason availability for the Broncos.

The bet on him taking a leap in his third NFL season is largely dependent on his health. He has elite speed for the tight end position that can really open up the seam for Denver's aerial attack. Whatever he lacks as an in-line blocker he more than makes up for with his athleticism as a downfield pass-catching threat. He had just two catches for 12 yards in Week 1 but there's plenty of time for him to improve.

Adam Trautman currently sits ahead of him on the depth chart but he's not the dynamic athlete that Dulcich is. Payton has shown a real affinity for dynamic downfield targets from the tight end spot during his coaching career. The idea of playing Trautman and Dulcich together might also emerge as a viable strategy for the Broncos. That combination of short, possession threat and field stretcher could really simplify reads for Nix during his rookie campaign.

Broncos fans might be tiring of the idea of Dulcich become a meaningful contributor after all of his injury issues but it's too early to give up on such a dynamic talent. He has the juice required to infuse energy into Denver's passing game. It's not an exaggeration to say he could be a Pro Bowl player if he manages to find a way to stay healthy for a full season.